Hundreds gather in protest at latest Covid measures

Hundreds of people gathered at the Scottish Parliament on Saturday to protest coronavirus restrictions.

The demonstration went ahead despite police warning against mass gatherings, urging people to “find alternative ways to protest”.

It comes following the introduction of a number of new restrictions, as pubs and restaurants in the central belt have been ordered to close for a fortnight, while hospitality venues in the rest of Scotland landed a 6pm curfew.

The rules came into force at 6pm on Friday and are scheduled to last until October 25.

Superintendent David Robertson said ahead of the protest at Holyrood: “Anyone thinking of taking part is strongly urged to find alternative ways to protest rather than attending mass gatherings, for example through digital means.

“Police Scotland will have a proportionate and appropriate response should this event go ahead and will act decisively to enforce the law if required.

“We are asking people to take personal responsibility to do the right thing and remember the purpose of these measures is to aid the collective effort to stay safe, protect others and save lives by preventing the virus from spreading.”

Saturday’s event followed protests from workers in the hospitality industry on Friday, who dumped bags of leftover ice outside the Scottish Parliament.

Many in the industry felt the hospitality sector had been unfairly singled out for tighter restrictions.

The number of new infections has yet to slow down, with 1009 new cases in Scotland in the last 24 hours.

Another six people with the virus have died, bringing the death toll among those who tested positive to 2550.